Getting your gobbler gun ready for turkey season.
Some new to turkey hunting might inquire about how to pattern your turkey shotgun. Of course, getting your gobbler gun ready for turkey season is a big deal. Much is involved.
When people study their shotgun patterns, certain metrics come to mind. Hunters strive for consistent, dense, penetrating patterns. Shotshells need to perform well at short-, mid-, and long-range distances. Once on target, a high pellet count is needed in the kill zone, and hunters work diligently to find the load that best delivers in these all-important categories.
There are many things that impact turkey ammo patterns, though. The shooter, shotgun, sights, choke tube, ammo, and more, can influence shot pattern.
Shotgun patterns come with pros and cons, though. A loose pattern doesn’t perform well at distance. A tighter pattern is ideal at longer ranges. Wider patterns are ideal at short distances, whereas overly tight patterns increase the odds of a miss at nearer yardages. It’s important to strike a balance between these.
All things considered, here’s what you should know.
Step 1: Choose or Prep Your Shotgun(s)
The first step in selecting a shotgun is considering the shooter. Youth and smaller-framed shooters likely shouldn’t use heavier gauges, such as 10- or 12-gauges. Instead, it’s usually better to select a smaller sub-gauge.
If you haven’t already selected a shotgun, there are many gauges to choose from. From biggest to smallest, the 10-gauge, 12-gauge, 16-gauge, 20-gauge, 28-gauge, and .410 bore, are the most common turkey shotgun gauges. Of course, the 12- and 20-gauge are the most used, followed by the .410 bore (although the latter is only viable with TSS ammo).
Step 2: Check Your Sights
If using sights, it’s crucial to mount these properly. Use the right mounts to get the proper fit. Choose between bead sights, fiber optic sights, and red dot sights. Select the right one for you based on personal preference, hunting regulations, etc. Then, ensure it’s lined up correctly. Consider using a bore sighter and/or less expensive shells to get it close and then dial in the remainder of the way with turkey loads.
Step 3: Pick Your Choke(s)
The next step is choosing the right choke tube. According to Hunter-Ed.com, “Your distance from the target determines the choke you need. The choke of a shotgun determines shot string only. It has no bearing on shot speed (velocity) or distance (range). That is, the choke does not alter the shotgun’s power — it just controls how tight or spread out the pellets will be at a specific distance.”
Oftentimes, older shotguns have fixed choke tubes. These don’t allow for interchangeable chokes. If that’s the case, choose the best possible ammo for your setup. In contrast, newer shotguns allow for other options.
Most shotguns come with cylinder, improved cylinder, light modified, modified, improved modified, and/or full chokes. Some even offer additional “steps” within the choke lineage. Generally, a step up (tighter) in choke tube sizing leads to the same max pattern spread and performance but about 5-7 yards further out.
Of course, turkey chokes are even tighter than these choke tubes mentioned above. Turkey chokes are the recommended options for ethically hunting wild turkeys. Purchase one or two (or more) and test with various turkey ammo loads to determine what pairs best with your shotgun.
Step 4: Select Some Ammo Options
Speaking of ammo, it’s time to select some ammo options. Traditionally, lead ammo dominated the turkey landscape. Today, it’s lost significant ground to more efficient options, such as blends and tungsten (TSS) loads.
TSS is smaller and denser than lead. Furthermore, because the pellets are smaller, more pellets fit within the shell, meaning more pellets within the pattern downrange. That increases the odds of a quick, ethical kill.
Regarding shot sizes, it’s good to know the measurements. For reference, shot sizes measure the following in diameter:
- No. 1: 0.16 inches / 4.06 mm
- No. 2: 0.15 inches / 3.81 mm
- No. 3: 0.14 inches / 3.56 mm
- No. 4: 0.13 inches / 3.30 mm
- No. 5: 0.12 inches / 3.05 mm
- No. 6: 0.11 inches / 2.79 mm
- No. 7: 0.10 inches / 2.54 mm
- No. 8: 0.09 inches / 2.29 mm
- No. 9: 0.08 inches / 2.03 mm
Oftentimes, hunters choose lead in No. 4, 5, or 6 shot. Or they pick TSS in No. 7, 8, or 9. Some might even select ammo blends, which combines two different shot sizes for improved performance at various yardages.
Additionally, shell lengths can vary as well. Depending on the gauge, shell lengths might range from 2 ¾ inches to 3 ½ inches. Select various options compatible with your shotgun to see what shoots best through your turkey setup.
Those unsure of where to start might consider the following for options from Apex Ammunition. These include 12-gauge, 20-gauge, 28-gauge, 410-bore, and more. Of course, you might even be interested in Next Level Ninja TSS Series, which is available in each of the aforementioned gauges.
Step 5: Hit the Range
Finally, spend some time on the range. Bring plenty of turkey head shotgun targets. Try various combinations of shotguns, choke tubes, and turkey loads. Whatever consistently puts the most pellets in the kill zone patterns the best. That’s what you should pick to equip you in the turkey woods this spring.
PHOTO CUTLINES AND CREDITS
Photo 1, 2: Choose a good turkey load for improved patterns. (Courtesy of APEX Ammunition)
Photo 3: The author poses with a great gobbler after patterning his shotgun. (Honeycutt Creative photo)